Issue date: 7 February 2025
L’Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (Ifremer) in accordance with its exploration contract for polymetallic sulphides signed with the International Seabed Authority on 18 November 2014 is offering one (1) at-sea engineering training opportunity for candidates from developing States within its 2025 training programme.
Training Programme Overview:
The cruise, which will be on one of Ifremer’s research vessels, will be a technical one dedicated to test and qualification dives of Ifremer’s 6000m rated manned Submersible “Nautile”. The objective of the training programme will be for the candidate to witness the technical and operational aspects of the deployments of the submersible which is one of the equipment used in deep-sea exploration. (Nb. the candidate will not dive in the submarine)
The training would be for a duration of approximately 6 days (including mobilization and demobilization) with the ship currently planned to leave Brest, France, on the 19 July 2025 and arrive in Santander, Spain, on the 24 July 2025, exact dates to be confirmed closer to the cruise departure.
Eligibility:
Candidates should meet the following criteria:
- Educational Background: candidates should hold a bachelor/master’s degree of science in the relevant field of mechanical engineering, marine and/or offshore engineering, (marine) robotics or have an equivalent educational background.
- Professional Experience: candidates should have at least one year of work experience in the relevant field
- Language Proficiency: candidates must be proficient in either French or English (both written and spoken).
- Health: Good state of health, suitable for training at sea.
- Travel Requirements: candidates should hold a passport with sufficient validity after the planned end of the exploration cruise and should be able to obtain a Schengen visa to enter France and Spain.
- Other: The selected trainee will be required to submit a medical certificate confirming the applicant’s ability to work at sea and to board the exploration cruise signed by a licensed physician (using a template that will be provided by Ifremer).
Financial Support:
Ifremer will provide the following for selected trainees:
- International airfares (economy class, return ticket);
- Accommodation, local transportation in the country of mob/demobilization if required and meals for the duration of the training.
Other Requirements
The selected candidate will be required to sign the ISA Contractors’ Training Programme Code of Conduct for Trainees prior to the start of the programme.
No later than four (4) weeks after the training has ended, the trainee shall submit an end-of-training report to Ifremer and the Authority outlining, amongst other things, the training completed, the benefits of the training opportunity, the knowledge gained and how the training will advance his/her career and/or educational pursuits.
Upon successful completion of the programme, the trainee shall receive a certificate from the Authority.
The trainee shall also be required to submit a supplementary report to the Authority five (5) years after the training has been completed, to allow for an assessment of the long-term benefits of the programme.
How to Apply:
All interested applicants are invited to register and submit their applications on ISA CTP Application Portal, along with their supporting documents, including:
- A coloured passport sized photo
- A copy of current passport biopage;
- Duly completed and signed nomination form [docx | pdf] by the nominating entity;
- Copy of degree(s) and/or relevant certificate(s);
- Copy of CV or Resume ; and
- Proof of English competence, as required.
Applicants must select the following options when applying for this training opportunity on the Application Portal:
Contractor Name: French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) PMS
Year: 2025
Programme Name: at-sea
Specialization: N/A
Application Deadline: 7 March 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed.
One of the Voluntary Commitments registered by ISA at the 2017 UN Ocean Conference (#OceanAction 40768) and reiterated at the 2022 UN Ocean Conference aims at “Advancing women’s empowerment in marine scientific research”– As partner of the Women in Deep-Sea Research project (WIDSR), Ifremer has pledged to allocate 50% of the training opportunities to qualified women applicants.